RPS appoints 30 new fellows

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has designated 30 new members as Fellows in recognition of their distinguished service to the sector.

Those receiving the honours include:

Gazala Akram works as senior teaching fellow at Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences.  She teaches PG degree students and also serves as the course director for the MSc in clinical pharmacy. Gazala received her doctorate from the University of Strathclyde. Her work was concerned with clinical information provision for lay persons in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Olutayo Arikawe is the director and superintendent pharmacist at YPG Project Limited. Olutayo is an experienced community pharmacist and public health practitioner with a demonstrated work history.

Anne Black is the regional quality assurance specialist pharmacist - North East and North Cumbria. She is also the Chair of the Pan UK Pharmacy Working Group for ATMPs.

Matthew Boyd works as associate professor in Patient Safety and Pharmacy Practice, faculty of science, University of Nottingham.  Matthew has been working in community pharmacy practice along with sessional teaching support and consultancy work for a number of modules within the Nottingham pharmacy practice teaching area.

Arlene Brailey is patient support officer at Antibiotic Research UK. She is also a trustee of Scottish Lyme Resource Centre. Arlene was an assistant director of pharmacy at NHS Education for Scotland from 1995 to 2015.

Esmita Charani the senior lead research pharmacist at the National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. She is the recipient of the RPSGB Galen Pharmacy Research Award for research into antibiotic dosing and obesity.

Tania Cork is the chief officer of the LPC and she spends her time between LPC role and as an academic pharmacist at Keele University. She did her research on health literacy and community pharmacy.

Robert Davies is an independent pharmacist prescriber at Healthy Prestatyn Iach, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. He has given occasional lectures for Glyndwr University Occasional consultancies.

Andrew Dickman is a consultant pharmacist of University of Liverpool.

Elsy Gomez Campos is the president of the UK Black Pharmacists Association.  She is an advocator of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Elsy has expert knowledge in clinical and non-clinical areas of community pharmacy practice.  

Carole Hunter is the lead pharmacist, addiction services, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. She has extensive experience in community pharmacy in Scotland and England and had owned her own pharmacy for 10 years in the 1990s.

Alison Innes works as assessments lead for postgraduate diploma in General Practice Pharmacy.

Mark Jackson is the head of quality assurance department of QA&QC at Liverpool Pharmacy Practice Unit. He is a regional NHS QA specialist for the North West region and also works as Chair of the National QA Pharmaceutical Committee (NHSPQA) since 2012.

Jean Logan works as associate director of Pharmacy Community Care at NHS Forth Valley. She obtained her post graduation in psychiatric pharmacy from De Montfort University.

Babir Malik works as pre-registered and pharmacy student training lead at H I Weldrick Ltd. He also works as a part time relief pharmacist.

Baxter Watson Millar is the head of NHS Scotland Pharmaceutical 'Specials' Service.

Paresh Parmar is lead care of older persons and stroke pharmacist at Northwick Park Hospital. He is also a fellow in older persons at King's College London at the Florence Knightingale School of Nursing.  Parmar is an experienced clinical pharmacist with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital and health care industry.

Umesh Patel is the business owner at Clarity Pharmacy and is based in Tonbridge, England. Patel is also works as a superintendent pharmacist.

Victoria Rutter is the executive director, Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA), London. Victoria is an experienced pharmacy professional with a special interest in education, medicines optimisation, strategic systems development, and international working.

Jennifer Scott works as senior lecturer in pharmacy practice, University of Bath and pharmacist prescriber at Turning Point.

Raminder Sihota serves as senior professional standards and quality manager at Boots. Sihota is skilled in coaching, culture change, executive coaching, HR policies, and people development.

Andrea Smith works as a lead pharmacist for NHS.

Amanda Smith works as pharmacy manager at Heath Pharmacy Ltd. She is a member of the Local Pharmaceutical Committee, representing West Yorkshire pharmacists. Amanda first joined Heath Pharmacy as a pharmacy student in 1995 and became a fully qualified pharmacist in 1997.

Fiona Thomson is lead pharmacist at Argyll & Bute HSCP, NHS Highland.

Steven Wanklyn works supporting patients with cancer or other life limiting conditions to get the most from their medicines and experience treatment. He has expertise in palliative care.

Samantha White is the deputy director, Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education.

Others who have been designated as RPS fellows include Leonie Sara Swaden, Mary Jane McFarlane, Annamarie Marie McGregor, and Antony James Jamieson.

RPS currently has 770 Fellows from across the profession representing a variety sectors and career stages. The fellowship, based on nominations from existing members, recognises the distinction new appointees have attained in a particular aspect or aspects of their pharmacy career.